Bolts beat Piqua, fall to ‘Boro

Starting pitcher Nick Moomey delivers a pitch to the plate against Piqua.

Photo by Ron Nunnari / Civitas Media

Thomas Walsh scampers back to first base after getting caught in a rundown against Piqua. Walsh managed to get back to first safely when Piqua made a throw to the plate to catch Ryan Pullins trying to score.

Photo by Ron Nunnari / Civitas Media

Cole Stephens slides in safe at third against Piqua.

Photo by Ron Nunnari / Civitas Media

Derek Koester prepares to throw a Piqua hitter out at first.

Photo by Ron Nunnari / Civitas Media

Piqua’s Owen Toopes dives back as Northmont first baseman Will Ludington takes a pickoff throw.

Photo by Ron Nunnari / Civitas Media

CLAYTON — Saturday the Northmont varsity baseball team committed four fielding errors but still managed to post a 4-3 victory over Piqua.

Northmont improved to 11-5 overall while Piqua fell to 8-10.

Starting pitcher Nick Moomey worked 3 and 1/3 innings and scattered three hits. Tyler Defibaugh and Colin Hobert each pitched 1 and 2/3 innings in relief with Defibaugh picking up the win. Cole Stephens came on with 2 outs in the 7th to seal the victory with a save.

The Thunderbolts had 6 hits on the day. Stephens had 2 hits and Will Ludington had 2 RBI.

“We’ve played Piqua for a hundred years it seems like, and we have had so many games like that it is unbelievable,” said Northmont Coach Chuck Harlow. “The scores are always 4-3, 5-4 or 2-1. I enjoy playing them every year. Their coach for years was Rick Gold and he is back as their assistant coach and a former player Brad Lavey is now the head coach and I really enjoyed playing them today. Our defense was really good again today. We got out of some jams. It was really close at the end but we really felt like we were in control. It was a good ball game, no doubt about it.”

PIQ 100 100 1 – 3 6 3

NOR 202 000 x – 4 6 4

Monday the Bolts opened a two games series with Springboro at home losing in the 8th inning 4-2.

“It has been two rough Monday’s losing in the Bottom of the 7th vs Lebanon and then losing in the 8th vs Springboro,” Harlow commented.

Tyler Defibaugh took the tough loss on the day. The Bolts banged out six hits with Ryan Pullins going 3-4 and Dylan Guth hit a double.

Springboro improved to 11-5 overall and maintains control of 1st place in the National West with a 5-0 conference record with Lebanon in 2nd place at 14-2 and 5-1. Northmont is in 3rd place at 11-6 overall and 3-3 in conference play. The Thunderbolts will travel to Springboro on Tuesday for game two in the series.

SPB 000 002 02 – 4 9 1

NOR 000 020 00 – 2 6 5

Starting pitcher Nick Moomey delivers a pitch to the plate against Piqua.

Thomas Walsh scampers back to first base after getting caught in a rundown against Piqua. Walsh managed to get back to first safely when Piqua made a throw to the plate to catch Ryan Pullins trying to score.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/04/web1_ThomasWalsh.jpgThomas Walsh scampers back to first base after getting caught in a rundown against Piqua. Walsh managed to get back to first safely when Piqua made a throw to the plate to catch Ryan Pullins trying to score.Photo by Ron Nunnari / Civitas Media

Cole Stephens slides in safe at third against Piqua.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/04/web1_ColeStephens-1.jpgCole Stephens slides in safe at third against Piqua.Photo by Ron Nunnari / Civitas Media